Lens-focusing device.



1. GODDARD L w. s. HUTCHINGS. LENS rocuslNGuEvlcE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8.1916. 1,214,453. Patented Jan, 30, w17.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

l. GODDARD & W. S. HUTCHINGS.

LENS FOCUSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION mw FEB. 8, 191e.

1,214,453. Patented Jan. 30,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Millar/2% vUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH GODDARD AND WILLIAM S. HUTCHINGS, OE ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGN- ORS TO SENECA CAMERA MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OE ROCHESTER, NEW YORK,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LENS-FOCUSING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

To all whom t may concern.'

.Be it known that we, JOSEPH GODDARD and lineair S. llU'rcI-inves, citizens ot the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county oit Monroe and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lens-Focusing Devices, of which the iollowing is a specilication.

'll he present invention relates to improvements in focusing devices for lenses, and it is more especially applicable to photographie cameras for focusing the lenses thereof.

The primary object ot' the invention is to provide improved lens focusing means which greatly facilitates the focusing operation, which securely maintains the optical axis of the lens in a iixed direction, and which is compact and inclosed so as to present a .neat appearance and is protected Jfrom injury or damage.

Another object of the invention is to provide lens l'ocusing means which, when applied to a camera, will normally maintain the lens in position for the usual or universal focus, and which will insure automatically the return or' the lens to its usual or universal focus position, should the focus ot 'the lens be changed.

To the e and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements, and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more li'ully described, the novel features being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of the specilication.

ln the accompanying drawings :-Figure v1 is a perspective view of a photographic camera haring applied thereto a lens focusing device constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 represents a side elAY sation ot the camera with its focusing device as shown in Fig. 1. VFig. 3 is a 'liront elevation of the camera as shown in Figs. l, and Fig. l is a top plan View of "1l lens liront or the camera as shown in Figs. lf3 inclusive. Fig. is a detail perspective view oi' one of the elements of the lens focusing device. Fig. 6 is a detail view f portion or the lens focusing device showing another mode of indicating the locusing positions of the lens.

Similar parts are designated by the same re'erence characters in the several views.

fr lens focusing device embodying the present invention is applicable generally to lenses as applied to optical purposes in general where it is desirable or necessary to set the ,lens at d'illierent licenses. The invention is pm-ticularly applicable to photographic cameras and. it is capable ot being applied to cameras ot all types which employ a lens which is capable oi being set in dii'erent positions et locus, although it is most advantageously lapplied to a camera of the folding type or one l'iaving a lens iront which extended lrom the body proper of the camera when the same is in use and is collapsed against or into the body proper of the camera when the same is not in use.

One embodiment ot the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter described in detail, but .it is to understood that the invention is not restrictee. to this particular' embodiment shown, as equivalent constructions are contemplatcd and will be included within the scope of the claims at the end of the specilisation.

In the present instance, the camera is of the folding type, it comprising a body proper l having a recess or chamber 2 in its forward side to contain the lens front 3, the bellows l, and the devices which guide and support the lens front, the ends 5 and 6 oi the body proper ot the camera providing claznnbers to contain the spools to which the ends et a flexible sensitized lilm are attached. il cover 7 is shown removably applied to the rear side ot the body proper oi the camera, this cover ailording access to the interior ot the body proper oit the camera to permit insertion and removal of the 'ilni, and a sliding catch 8 is provided at each side ot the camera proper' to cooperate with a pin or projection 9 on the correspondin;` side of the cover to secure the latter in position. rlhe body proper of the camera, however, may be constructed in any other suitable way.

In photographic cameras of the folding type, portions of the sensitized film are sueeessively lnfought into the iield of the lens and the exposure is made while the lens is extended out from the body proper of the camera, shown in Figs. l and 2, the bellows el. preventing access of light to the sensitized lilm except through the lens. In the nain present instance, the lens 10 is carried by a suitable mounting 11, it being preferable to employ a mountingl such as those commonly used which embody a shutter for determining the duration and character of the eX- posare, and 'the lens mounting is secured to the lens front.

The lens front, according to the present embodiment of the invention, contains the lens focusing device, or in other words, the lens focusingl device, according present eniboiiliment of the invention, also provides or serves the purpose of a lens front. its shown, the lens front comprises a casii 12 which is preferably rectangular, as shown, it having aI rear wall 13, top and bottom walls 1-1, and side walls 15. The cam front also comprises a front plate 1G which, as stated, carries the lens and its mounting 11, this front plate having secured to its rear side a guide 1T which [its into the casing 1.2 and forms a guide which will permit relative forward and rearward movement of the front plate 1G and the lens for focusing purposes but will prevent tilting of the lens. As shown, the guide 17 lits directly against the top and bottoin 111- of the outer casing while the sides of the guide are spaced from the sides of the casing to accommodate a focusing slide 18. rlhis focusing slide comprises a body portion which is apertured to avoid obstructing` the lightpassing through the lens and it has actuating members 1l) attached to or formed on its vertical sides and arranged to operate vertically in the spaces between the sides of the guide 17 and the sides of the casing 1:2. llccording to the present invention, vertical movement of the focusing slide 18 will cause the lens carrying plate 16 to move forwardly or rearwardly, according to the direction of movement of the slide, to set the lens in different locusing positions. rlfhe means shown in the present instance for accomplishing this result comprises one or more screws or projections 20 secured in the respective sides of the guide 17, these screws or projections extending through inclined or diagonally arranged slots 2l formed in the actuating member 19 of the focusing slide and resting in horiaontal slots formed in the side walls 15 of the outer casing of the lens. referably, a pair of screws or projections are fitted into each side of the guide'l and corresponding pairs of slots 21 and Q2 are provided for these screws or projections, as shown. ln order to guide the focusing slide 1S in its inovciueiit, a screw or projection 2S is preferably fitted into each lateral or actuating member 19 oi the slide and is arranged to operate in ay vertical guiding slot 21 formed in the respective side wall 15 of the outer casing. lilleans provided for actuating the focusing slide from the exterior of the lens front. a shown. extensions Q5 and to the 2G are foi-med on the top and bottoni, respectively, of the slide, and these extensions pass through openings formed in the top and bottoni walls of the outer casing 12. 1n the construction shown, upward pressure on trie lower extension 2G of the focusing slide will shift the latter upwardly, the walls of the inclined slots 21 then acting on the screws or projections 2O to shift the front plate 1G and the lens carried thereby forwardly, thus setting the lens for a short focus. Pressure upon the up fard extension Q5 of the focusing slide will shift the latter downwardly, causing the front plate 1G and the lens carried thereby to be shifted rearwardly, thus setting the lens for a relatively long focus. When the focusing slide occupies a position intermediate of the two positions just described, the lens will be set for the focus which is most usually employed and which focus may, for practical purposes, be regarded as a universal focus.

lnasmuch as almost all exposures are made with the lens set for the intermediate or universal focus, it is essential, in making all ordinary exposures, that the lens be set for universal focus. To insure the setting of the lens for the ordinary or universal focus, a catch is provided which will normally retain the lens in position for ordinary or universal focus and it will be necessary to disengage or release this catch in` order to move the lens out of its universal position and to set it either for a long or a short focus. In the present instance, one of the extensions on the focusing slide (the upper extension 25 in the present instance) is provided with a notch 27, and a catch 28 is slidably mounted on the top of the outer casing 12, the catch having a portion arranged to engage in the notch 27 to set and hold the focusing slide at a point where the lens will be properly positioned for the usual or universal focus. il spring Q9 acts on the catch with a tendency to engage it with the notch. 2i', and a linger-piece 30 is provided on the catch to facilitate its retraction when it ,is desirable or necessary to set the lens either for a long or a short focus. toward its central position to return the lens to universal focus, the catch 28 will automatically snap into the notch 27 and will thereby arrest further movement of the slide. ln the construction shown, forward or rearward pressure applied to the front plate 16 which carries the lens will cause reciprocation of the focusing slide 18 unless the catch is engaged in the notch 2?. For example, if the focusing slid-e is in its lower position, the front plate 16 which carries the lens will then occupy its rearmost position., and by pulling forward upon the front plate the focusingslide 18 will rise until it reaches a position corresponding with the universal 1When the focusing slide is shifed k cli focus position of the lens, and when the focusing slide reaches this position the catch will automatically snap into the notch 27, retaining the focusing slide and consequently the lens in position for the ordinary or universal focus. Likewise, if the focusing slide is in raised position or set for a short focus, a rearward pressure on the front plate 16 which carries the lens will move this plate rearwardly and will cause a downward reciprocation of the focusing slide 18 until the latter reaches a position corresponding to the ordinary or universal focus position of the lens, whereby the catch 28 will snap into the notch 27 and retain the slide and consequently the lens in position for ordinary or universal focus. This feature of the present invention is particularly advantageous when the invention is applied to photographic cameras of the type wherein the lens is carried by a front or equivalent part which is extended forward preparatory to the use of the camera and is pushed back against or into the body proper of the camera when the use of the camera is to be discontinued, for the reason that, if the lens has been set for a focus other than the ordinary er universal focus during the use of the camera, the force applied to the front or lens carrying plate, either in extending the lens forward from the body proper of the camera preparatory to the use thereof, or in restoring the lens against or within the body proper of the camera, will automatically reset the lens in the ordinary or universal focus position and the catch will automatically retain the lens in such position. This advantage of the present invention will be attained in applying the invention to cameras of various folding types, it being shown applied to one type of folding camera in the present instance wherein a pair of links 31 are pivoted at 32 to the body proper 1 and have slots to slidably receive projections 34rattached to the outer casing of the lens front, while a similar pair of links 35 are pivoted at 36 to the body proper of the camera and have slots 37 which slidably receive projections 38 attached to the outer casing of the lens front. The links 31 and when extended have a convergent position and the slots 33 and 37 in these links are preferably provided with offset portions 39 and 40 in which the projections 34 and 33` respectively, rest, the projections 34 and 38 causing the links 31 and 35 to be spread apart as the lens front approaches its forward position, and the resistance offered by the links to spreading thereof causing the projections 34- and 33 to be iirmly seated in the offset portions 39 and 40. nthis manner, proper seating of the lens front when the same is extended is insured. The necessary resistance offered by the links 31 and 35 to insure seating of the projections in the oll'sets 39 and `l0 may be afforded, as in the present instance, by forming the cross-pieces y1i-.1 and 4t2 connecting the respective pairs of links in such shape that they will abut against the forward side of the body portion of the casing when the lens front approaches its foremost position, the resilience of the links or their connecting parts affording the necessary yield to permit the projections 34 and 3S to enter the offset portions 39 and llO. In applying the invention to a folding camera of this type, the resistance offered to the disengagement of the projections 34 and from the offset portions 39 and il0 will be sufficient to cause the lens to be reset to the ordinary or universal focus position when pressure is applied to the front plate 1G to restore the lens front to its collapsed position within the body proper of the camera. Also, when the lens front is pulled forward, the projections 34v and 38 will reach the ends of the slots 33 and 37, and the tension eX- erted on the front plate 16 will then reset the lens for the ordinary or uiiversal focus, should it happen that the lens front was restored to the casing while theJ lens was set= in its rear or long focus position.

Preferably, means is provided for indicating the focusing position occupied by the lens. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the lower extension QG which extends more or less beyond the bottom of the outer casing of the lens front is provided with an appropriately designated scale 43 which indicates the particular focusing position in which the lens is set. If desired, however, the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 may be used, one of the side walls 15 of the outer casing of the lens front in this instance having a slot 441 cut therein, and the adjacent side member 19 of the focusing slide is provided with an appropriately graduated scale 45, portions of which are visible through the slot in the casing to designate the focusing position of the lens.

lV e claim as our invention 1. A lens focusing device comprising a lens carrying member, a supporting mein ber, an adjusting member movable relatively to said supporting and lens carrying members for shifting the latter to focus the lens, and means for normally retaining said adjusting member in a predetermined focusing position.

2. A lens focusing device comprising a support, a relatively movable lens carrying member, a lens focusing member movable relatively to said support and lens carrying member, and means for normally retaining the lens focusing member in predetermined focusing position.

3. A lens focusing device comprising a support, a relatively movable lens carrying member, a lens focusing member movable relatively to said lens carrying member, and

a catch operative automatically to retain the lens focusing member in predetermined focusing position. l

A lens focusing device comprising a support, a lens carrying member movable relatively to the support in the direction of the aXis of the lens, and an adjusting member reciprocable relatively to said support and lens carrying member in a direction transversely to the axis of the lens to adjust the lens carrying member to focus the lens.

5. A lens focusing device comprising a support, a lens carrying member movable relatively to said support the direction of the axis of the lens, said member having an operating portion exposed exteriorly of said support, and a member movable relatively to said support and lens carrying member and controlling the movement of the lens carrying member relatively to said support.

6. A. lens focusing device comprising a support, a lens carrying member movable relatively to said support in the direction of the axis of the lens, said member having an operating portion exposed exteriorly of said support, and a member movable relatively to said support and lens carrying member by force applied to the exposed operating portion of the lens carrying member to control the movement of the lens carrying member relatively to said support.

7. A lens focusing device comprising a support, a lens carrying member movable relatively thereto to focus the lens, and an adjusting' member reciprocable relatively to said support and the lens carrying` member to shift the latter relatively to the support, said adjusting member having oppositely positioned operating portions located eX- teriorly of the support.

8. A lens focusing device comprising a support, a lens carrying member movable relatively thereto to focus the lens, an adv justing member reciprocable relatively to said support and the lens carrying member to shift the latter relatively to the support, and a catch operative automatically to retain the adjusting member .in a predetermined position ivhen said member is moved into said position.

9. A lens focusing device comprising a support, a lens carrying member movable relatively thereto to focus the lens, a member movable relatively to the support and lens carrying member and by force applied to the latter for indicating the diiferent focusing positions of the lens carrying member.

l0. A lens focusing device comprising a Y support, a lens carrying member movable relatively thereto to focus the lens, a member movable relatively to the support and lens carrying member and by force applied to the latter, and a device cooperative With a ifa ninos said second mentioned member for automatically retaining the lens carrying member in a predetermined focusing position.

ll. ln a camera of the folding type, the combination of a support adapted to be extended and collapsed relatively to the body of tbe camera, a lens carrying member movable relatively to said support, and means for automatically and normally retaining the lens carrying member in a predetermined focusing position under the influence of a force applied to extend or callapse'the support relatively to the body of the camera.

12. In a camera of the folding' type, the combination of a support adapted to be tended and collapsed relatively to the body of the camera, a. lens carrying member movable relatively to said support and providing means to extend and collapse the same relatively to the camera body, and means for controlling the setting of the lens by force applied to the lens carrying member.

13. ln a camera of the folding type, the combination of a support adapted to be eXf tended and collapsed relatively to the body of the camera and having means for holding it in extended position7 a lens carrying member movable relatively to the support to focus the lens and providing means for the application vof force to extend or collapse the support relatively to the camera, body, and means controlled by force applied to the lens carrying member for automatically retaining the latter in a predetermined lens focusing position.

lll. ln a camera of the folding type, the combination of a support adapted to be eX- tended and collapsed relatively to the body of the camera and having means for holding it in extended position, a lens carrying member movable relatively to the support to set tbe lens for ordinary or universal focus and for relatively longer and shorter focuses respectively, said member providing means for the application ot force to extend and collapse the support relatively to the camera body, and means operative automatically to retain the lens carrying member in the ordinary or universal focus position when the same is brought into such position.

l5. In a photographic camera, a combined lens front and focusing device comprising a supporting casing, a lens carrying member movable relatively to the casing in the direction of the axis of the lens, and a reciprocatory member movable relatively to said casingk and the lens carrying member for adjusting the latter and the lens for different focuses.

1G. ln a photographic camera, a combined lens front and lens focusing device comprising a supporting casing having means for mounting it in cooperative relation with the camera body, a lens carrying member movable relatively to the casing in a direction forwardly and rearwardly thereof, and a transversely rcciprocable member cooperative with the support and lens carrying member to adjust the latter and the lens for different focuses.

17. In a photographic camera, a combined lens front and lens focusing device comprising a supporting casing having means for mounting it in cooperative relation ivith the camera body, a lens carrying member at the front of the casing and movable in a direction forwardly and rearwardly thereof, and a member within the casing movable transversely thereof and having projections at opposite sides of the casing for adjusting the lens carrying member for different lens focuses.

18. fr lens :toetsing device comprising a substantially rectangular casing, a lens carug member closing the front of said oasg and guided to more forivardly and rearwarrflly relatively to the casing, and a membei' guided to reciprocate within the easing and cooperating with the casing and the leus carrying member to adjust the latter into different lens focusing positions.

1%). In a folding or collapsible photographic camera, a folding portion movable into an extended position and also movable into a collapsed position, a lens-carrying member movable relatively to said folding portion to and. from a universal focusing position, and means cooperative with said lens-carrying member whereby the latter is automatically returned to universal. focusing position by the application of force to effect one of the said movements of the folding portion of the camera.

20. In a. photographic camera, a lens carrying member adjustable in the direction of the optical axis of the camera for focusing, and a detent for normally retaining the lens carrying member in universal focusing po sition, said detent being inoperative When the lens carrying member is adjusted to any position other than universal focusing position.

21. A lens focusing device comprising a casing, an adjustable cover plate for said casing movable in the direction of the optical axis of the lens, a lens carried by said cover plate, and means Within the casing for adjusting the cover plate, said means being operable from the exterior of the casing.

22. In a folding or collapsible camera having a camera back, a member adjustable toivard and from the camera back to fold or extend the camera, a. lens-carrying member adjustable on and relatively to said first-mentioned member in the direction of the optical axis of the camera to or from a universal :focusing position, and means cooperating with said lens-carrying member and with relation to which said lenscarrying member is movable for automatically returning the lens-carrying member to universal focusing position upon the application of force to effect one of the said movements of the first-mentioned member of the camera.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands in presence of tWo subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH GODDARD. VILLIAM S. HUTCI-IINGS. Vitnesses MARGARET C. VVUEsT, MARGARET F. CoNsLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

